Final answer:
Selye's general adaptation model has been criticized for its narrow focus on physical stress responses and omission of psychological factors in stress processing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Selye's general adaptation model has been criticized because it is a response-based conceptualization of stress, focusing predominantly on the body's physical responses while notably disregarding psychological factors, such as appraisal and interpretation of threats.
The three-phase process described by Selye includes the initial alarm reaction, followed by the stage of resistance, and culminating in the stage of exhaustion. Critics argue that this model overlooks the complexity of psychological influences on stress, which can also significantly contribute to the development of stress-related disorders. Selye's work, pivotal in the field of stress research, highlighted how prolonged or repeated stress could lead to physical damage and diseases such as hypertension and coronary artery disease.